KAILASH MANSAROVAR YATRA 2024 VIA KATHMANDU

Duration11 Days
Altitude6,638m
Group Size2-10

Trip Description

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a spiritual and life changing journey can be accomplished via Simikot on Helicopter. This is a 11 days trip where you will travel from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and then to Simikot by flight and take a helicopter ride to Hilsa which is Nepal – China border. After crossing the border we will start a jeep drive to lake Mansarovar, perform a puja and take a holy bath. Next day we will drive to Yam Dwar from where our Kailash parikrama begins.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is named after two holy, spiritual and religiously significant sites: Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Mt. Kailash (6,638m), familiar to Hindus as Kailash Parvat is the most sacred mountain of Asia. Hindus believe that the mountain is the abode of Lord Shiva and his family. Not only Hindus, the mountain is sacred to Buddhist, Jain and Bonpo religions as well. Buddhists believe that Mt. Kailash is the home of Buddha Demchok and Bon, a religion in Tibet believe that the mountain is the seat of all spiritual power. In Jainism, the site is the nearby place where the first Jain prophet Rishabhadeva attained Nirvana (liberation). Circumambulating the mountain (parikrama) on foot, an ancient ritual of devotion is still practiced by pilgrims with a faith that it will bring good fortune in one’s life. Hindus and Buddhists believe circumambulating the mountain in clockwise direction whereas Jain and Bonpo religions followers believe in other way around i.e. anticlockwise. Another major highlight of Kailasg Mansarovar Yatra (journey) is Lake Mansarovar, the highest freshwater lake in the world (4500m). Pilgrims believe that drinking water from the lake or taking dip or bath in the lake will wash away all their sins.

Itinerary

Days 1: ARRIVAL IN KATHMANDU
Welcome to Nepal! As you land in the Tribhuwan International Airport, our representative will pick you from airport terminal and escort you to your hotel. After getting to the hotel, you can take rest in your hotel room or go out for a stroll around the vicinity of your hotel. Later in the evening, we will discuss about our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and return back to hotel.
Days 2: KATHMANDU – NEPALGUNJ
In the morning after having breakfast we will ride through the bustling roads of Kathmandu to the holy, religious site of Pashupatinath Temple. In this guided city tour, today we will explore the historical and spiritual monuments of immense significance. Included in UNESCO world heritage site list, the Pashupatinath Temple is a site that serves as centre of faith and belief of the followers of Hinduism and displays the richness of Nepalese architecture and culture. Close to the Hindu holy pilgrimage site of Pashupatinath Temple, the blessed Bagmati River flows where you are bound to see cremation grounds (Arya Ghat). Along with that, a huge golden statue of Nandi can be seen near by the main temple. As we finish exploring the Pashupatinath temple, we shall now head to the airport for a domestic flight to Nepalgunj in the afternoon. After 1 hour of flight, we will get to Nepalgunj and stay overnight.
Days 3: NEPALGUNJ – SIMIKOT
After having breakfast we will have a scheduled flight Simikot. After 1 hour of flight we will get to Simikot. Simikot is located in far western Nepal, it is a lovely town on top of a hill with an elevated height of about 3000 meters so you might start feeling some of the usual effects of altitude up here. Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel where you can take some rest and later go out for a visit to the “Shiva Mandir” in the afternoon. Stay overnight at Simikot.
Days 4: SIMIKOT – HILSA – PURANG
Early in the morning we shall fly to Hilsa which is located in the border between Nepal and China but before that as per the border regulations, you will need to visit the Boarder Immigration Office to put an exit stamp on your Passport before flying off to Hilsa. The whole formalities can take up to about 30 to 45 minutes. And as soon as you complete the formalities there, you shall continue with your journey to Hilsa via helicopter. Upon reaching at Hilsa, you shall initially go through a suspension bridge to cross the Karnali River and then continue on with your walk for about an hour to reach the Sher village in the side of Chinese border the Chinese immigration Office and Boarder Check Post is located. From here onward you shall be directed towards your respective vehicles by which you shall be driven to Purang. Our drive from Sher, generally can take us about another hour to reach our final destination of Purang. Stay overnight at Purang.
Days 5: PURANG
The entire day today is planned as an acclimatization day for you mainly because you reached at a place at very high height within a day while coming in Purang. Acclimatization is a very important part of any major part of every trek/journey to high altitudes. It gives your body an ample amount of time to get accustomed with the atmosphere at these kinds of high altitudes so before making any further journey to the higher elevation acclimatization should be done. It is significantly important to spend a day here for your health as spending a day here can determine whether or not if you can finish the entire journey properly. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean that you have to stay inside your hotel room all day but rather it’s the opposite as it will be better to go and take a stroll around the city. You have the option to visit the ancient ruins of this amazing place. Later return back to your hotel. Stay overnight in Purang.
Days 6: PURANG – MANSAROVAR
Waking up early, we will have our breakfast and then continue on with our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Today is one of the most memorable days of our entire journey as we drive to Lake Mansarovar from Purang. The drive will be of 2-3 hours, on the way you will see picturesque views all over the region. On our drive to Lake Mansarovar, we will take a short break in Lake Ravana (4,752m) which is also known as the Rakshas Tal where pilgrims can take pictures & enjoy the scenery. Subsequent to our short break in Rakshas Tal, we will continue driving further ahead to the holy Lake Manasarovar where we shall take a Holy Bath and do some worshipping. This spiritual lake is 20 km away from the omnipotent Mt. Kailash with an elevated height of 4500 meters which makes it the highest fresh water lake in the world. Normally the trip around the lake can take up to 3 hours to complete and after exploring the Lake Mansarovar we will stay overnight on the side of this holy lake.
Days 7: MANSAROVAR – YAM DWAR – DERAPHUK
Continuing our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, we will wake up early in the morning to perform Puja (Worship) and Snan (Holy dip). Afterward, we will take a drive to Deraphuk but before reaching Deraphuk, we shall arrive at Darchen (Mount Kailash Base Camp, 4662m). Darchen is just 40 km away from Lake Mansarovar and takes us about 2 hours to reach. As we keep driving ahead, we now move onward to Yam Dwar which can take us about 45 minutes to reach from Darchen. Yam Dwar is the sky burial site for local Tibetans and is also considered as the propitious gateway to the Parikrama around Mt. Kailash. Visitors have the opportunity to get an up-close sight of Mt. Kailash from here and have to decide on who are going to perform the complete Parikrama (circuit) of Mt. Kailash. So typically the group divides into 2 groups, among which those who don’t perform the Parikrama shall return back to Darchen from Yam Dwar and wait for the remaining group members to come back after completing the Parikrama. Generally the trail to Deraphuk is uncomplicated & smooth but conversely it might be a bit harder for you due to the high altitude of theregion. Our whole journey to Deraphuk can take up to 7-8 hours to complete as it is 18 km away from Yam Dwar. Upon reaching Deraphuk, we shall check into a guesthouse for the remaining night.
Days 8: DERAPHUK – ZUTHULPHUK
Regarded as one of the challenging day of our whole journey, we wake up early in the morning. Afterward we shall start trekking up the hill to Dolma-La which is situated at a high altitude of 5600 meters above sea level. As you carry on with your walking, you realize that the entire trail up to Dolma-La is just increasingly points up only so it can be tough for your body to ascend up within this kind of altitudes. Just so you know the sacred glacial lake called the Gauri Kunda is positioned just beyond the Dolma-La pass. As we reach atop of the Dolma-La pass, we now continue moving ahead and start descending down from here. Now onward the trail swiftly begins to drop down and we follow the downward path lastly to reach the valley floor of Zuthulphuk. From here we shall again climb up in order to reach the Zutulphuk Gomba after trekking up for about 2 hours and check into a guesthouse there.
Days 9: ZUTHULPHUK – HILSA
We have now reached the ending phase our holy journey. We get up and have our breakfast before moving onward to our ending point of the circumambulation around Mt. Kailash today. As we move ahead we shall witness grandiose sights and reach the ending point of our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra near Darchen where our remaining team members along with the vehicles shall be waiting for us. After a trek of about 3 hours we get united with our team again and from here onward we shall take a drive to Hilsa via the same exact route which we passed through previously. The drive to Hilsa shall take about 4 hours. Upon reaching there you get escorted to your respective hotel rooms and take some rest for the remaining time period. Stay overnight at Hilsa.
Days 10: HILSA – SIMIKOT – NEPALGUNJ – KATHMANDU
With a feeling of triumphant on completing Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, we wake up early and have our breakfast at the usual time. Then we shall retrace our way back to Nepalgunj via Simikot by taking a Helicopter flight back from Hilsa. Once you reach Nepalgunj, you shall take your scheduled flight directly back to the medieval city of Kathmandu from Nepalgunj airport. Upon reaching Kathmandu, our representative shall escort you to your respective hotel where you can take your long awaited showers and get freshened up. Later take one last stroll around the Thamel area for some souvenir shopping as it is your last day here in Nepal.
Days 11: DEPARTURE
Today marks the end of our incredible Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to the vicinity of holy Mt. Kailash. After having your breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight back home. We hope that you leave Nepal with several unforgettable moments of your journey with Spiritual Tours. Lastly, we bid your farewell and hope for your return back to this enchanting nation of Himalayas soon.